Drying process



s. HILLER DRYING PROCESS Nov. 12, 1929.

Filed May 26, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 v I Nov. 12, 1929. s. HILLER DRYINGPROCESS Filed May 26. 1925 4' Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 12, 1929. s. HILLER 41,735,397

DRYING PROCESS Filed May 26 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 S. HILLER DRYINGPROCESS Nov. 12, 1929.

Filed May 26, 1925 {Sheets-Sheet 4 \N @N @N gwuentoz u g i g i a WN QN:i F. J G 6 G G G G M U riiril P z w I 1 .l G 6 A N QM 5 6 0 w til thedesired degree of drying or dehydrat- BB of Fig. 1.

Patented Nov. 12, 1929 I A AUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIAN'LEY KILLER,F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA 'DRYING rnocnss Application filed May 26, 1925.Serial No. 32,951.

The present invention relates to drying without danger from spontaneouscombusprocesses. tion, large volumes of heated air are pref- Moreparticularly the invention relates to erably drawn through theapparatus. he processes for drying materials such as salt, eiiiciency ofoperation is materially aid (1 in sugar, gypsum, limestone, chemicals,coal, this manner. While the preferred disclosures 55 fish meal, sludge,tankage, milk, blood, tomato hereinafter set forth show means forcircupulp, eggs, flours, grains, sand, sewage, garlating heated airthrough the material it will bage, slush and the like, by theapplication of he understood that this may be omitted in indirect heator direct heat thereto. The intreating coal and like inflammablematerials.

vention is generally applicable to the dehy- The objects of theinvention are to provide dration or drying of any material which mayimproved economical and efiicient processes be subjected to a mechanicalbeating action for drying materials at relatively low temperduring thedryin operation. atures by the application of indirect heat Thepreferred Form of apparatus for carthereto; to provide processes forrapidly dryrying out my invention comprises a fixed ing materials atrelatively low temperatures; heated cylinder in which heaters or hammersand such other objects as will appear more revolving at high speedsstrike the material, fully hereinafter in the detailed description andthrow it against the cylinder, spreading of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention it in thin layers around the interior, while and asdefined in the appended claims.

a set of slow speed revolving scrapers,- Referring to the drawings:

- wipers or lifters immediately remove the ma- Fig. 1 shows a sideelevation of a preferred terial from the heated surface, to be againembodiment of ap aratus. struckand'thrown against the cylinder by Fig. 2is an end e evation of form shown in the heaters or hammers. Thescraping, wip- Fig. 1.

ing, or lifting and throwing, and impacting Fig. 3 is a plan view of theform shown in 75 actions are repeated many times a minute, the Fig. 1.material being started at the feed end of the Fig. 4 is a sectional planview taken along cylinder and progressively advanced toward line AA ofFig. 1. the discharge end as the drying proceeds, un- Fig. 5 is asectional view taken along line 80 ing has beenattained, when thematerial is Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the scraper discharged fromthe cylinder. A continusupporting spider. ally changing layer ofmaterial is maintained Fig. 7 is a fragmental view of the beater incontact with the heated surfaces for very or hammer supporting means.

short intervals only. High temperatures may Fig. 8 is a sectional viewtaken along line 5 be applied tothe cylinder but the material, C0 ofFig. 7 'especially'when wet may remain at relative- Fig. 9, is a detailview showing the hammer 1y lower temperatures due to the rapid aborbeater construction.

.sorption of heat by the materials. The re- The solids or materials tobe treated are fed sult of this is an exceptionally high rate of throughhopper 1 to a valve 2 which is ro- 90- evaporationand rapid drying atlower temtated continuously in any suitable manner to peratures thanheretofore obtainable and deliver the materials at a predetermined andwithout burning or scorching the material; controlled rate through feedpassage 3 and wet materials may be rapidly and conformed in feed endcasting or head 4:. A cyltinuously reduced to a dry state. By provid--.inder 5 is supported at one .end in and com- 5 ing suitable valves atthe feed and discharge municates with head or housing 4, and at itsends, the operation may be carried out under other end is supported inand communicates a vacuum or pressure with a discharge end housing 6. Atits cen- When treating materialswhich maybeconter, cylinder 5 issupported in and comtacted with air in pulverized heated form municateswith a vapor outlet and 'support- 1 9 13 seated between heads of bolts14 65"combustion-chamber ing housing 7, as will more fully hereinafterappear. J ournaled in the heads or housings 4 and 6 are,drive sleeves 8which are secured to the lifter supporting spiders 9. Supportedpivotally from and connecting the spiders 9 into a rigid cage orstructure are scraper, wiper, or lifter supporting members 10 whichextend through the cylinder 5. Spiders 11 may be provided to strengthenthe lifter cage 10 or structure at suitably spaced points throughout thecylinder from the arms of which members 10 maybe pivotally supported.Supported on members 10 are scraping, wiping, or lifting bars, 12.Springs secured to spiders 9 and 1.1 are arranged to force the members10 about their pivot points until the wipers or lifters 12 engage theinterior surface of cylinder 5. Sets of bushings 14 29 are providedinside the sleeves 8, and'journaled for rotation in these bushings is ahigh speed heater or hammer shaft 15 extending through the cylinder 5.Supported within the cylinder 5 .on and secured to the shaft 15 by meansof collars 16 and the diametrically spaced rods 17 are a series ofadjacent pivoted hammers or heaters 18 arranged in spaced relation. Theadjacent sections of pivoted hammers or heaters are arranged so thatwhen shaft 15 is rotated the hammers will extend at right angles to eachother. To effect the advance of the materials through the cylinder 5,the hammers or heaters are preferably given a slight angle or twist withrelation to the axis of the cylinder so that as,

the material is struck it is thrown slightly forward. The feed mayhowever be effected by inclining the cylinder, or giving the bars 12 aslight helical twist, or any combina- 49 tion of these expedients may beutilized.

Sleeves 8 have secured thereto and are driven by sprockets 19 at eachend of the unit, andsprockets 19 are driven by chains 20 and sprockets21 which in turn are driven from a shaft 22. Shaft 22 is supported froma suit able frame work by means of journals 23. Beater or hammer shaft15 is driven by means of a pulley 24 secured thereto, a belt 25 and apulley 26.

The cylinder 5 is heated by means of a jacket preferably formed byenclosing it in concentric cylinders 27 which aresup ported at theirends from suitable shoulders iormed in housings 4, 6, and 7.

The cylinders'5 and-27 and the housings 4, 6, and 7 are joinedtogetherin a rigid. ..-unitary structure which is supported on astructural steel framework 28. The framework 28 has the sides thereofdivided by upright T iron sections 29 which form guides for the buildingup of tile side walls. The sidewalls are built up from sections of tile30 which are seated between the Tirons 29,

and built within the sidewalls is a furnace or suitably lined withopposite side ofhousings 4, 6

The fuel supply is completely consumed in i the combustion chamber 31,and the heated gases of combustion ure 1 and rise upward through thepassage 34 into the heating jacket formed by cylinders 5 pass to theright in Figand 27. In the heating jacket, the

heated products of combustion pass to the left 7 and circulate aroundthe cylinder 5 and are maintained in a state of agitation by the cicularbaffle plates 35 secured to the inner surface of the jacket cylinder 27.At the center housing 7 the heated products of combustion are deflecteddownward and pass through openings in the lower section of the housing7, and then continue to the left past the circular baflle plates 35 andfinally pass out through the stack connection 36, discharge into theexhaust or blower fan 37 and are forced into the stack 38 by the actionof the fan. The fan 37 creates a suction' which draws gases and vaporsevolved in the cylinder 5 upward through the opening 39 in tire" housing7 and into the duct or pipe 40. In duct 40 the vapors and gases aredrawn downward into the settling chamber or cyclone 41 where anysuspended particles of material are. deposited. the vapors and gasesthen pass through duct 2 into a heating channel 43 (Ff 2) orpassageformed by a sheet 44 which is secured at one side to the housings 4;, 6,and

7, and a central sh et 45 extending between V the center of the top ofthe combustion chambeer and the lower partof cylinder 27 as shown inFig. 2. Channel 43 extends along the lower left quarter section of thecylinder 27, and the left hal of the top of the combustion chamher. Inchannel 43 the vapors are heated in contact with cylinder 27 and pass tothe left in Fig. 1 over the top of the combustion chamher and arefinally drawn downward through passage 46 (Fig. f) and pass throughopenin gs a? into the combustion chamber 31 where they are mingled withthe heated products of combustion and completely oxidized. Air andvapors are also withdrawn from cylinder 5 and pass int the channel 43through the opening 17' (Fig. l) and the annular passage 48 and theopening 49 formed in the feed end housing 4, and pass to theleft in Fig.1 with the vaporsand gases from opening 39 in the housing An air beatingchannel or space 50 (Fig. 2) is formed parallel with channel 43 by thesheet 45 and a sheet 51 secured to the and 7. Chan nel 50 is open to andair is drawn between -the lower right quarter section of cylinder 27 andthe right top half (Fi 2) of the combustion chamber to the le t inFigure 1, and is preheated by contact with the cylinder 27 and thenpasses through opening 52 (Fig. 1) annular passage 53 and opening 54 ofdischarge housing 6 into the cylinder 5. In cylinder 5 the heated air iscontacted with the materials and aids in the drying thereof, and finallypasses with the vapors through openings 39 and 47 to the combustionchamber.

Supported from the top of the housings is'a drive supporting frame work55 upon which the journals 23 supporting shaft 22 are mounted. The shaft22 is driven by a sprocket 56 which in turn is driven by chain 57 andsprocket 58 from a shaft 59. Shaft 59 is supported from frame 55 byjournals 60 and drives pulley 26. The fan 37 is driven by a pulley 61which in turn is driven from shaft 59 by a belt 62 and a pulley 63. A

5 main drive pulley 64 is mounted on shaft 5 charge head 6 into acontinuously rotating 59 and. is driven from any suitable prime mover.The entire drive mechanism is in this manner supported in a unitary selfcontained structure and all of the parts are driven in definitely fixedand predetermined relation to each other. The materials are passedthrough the cylinder 5 continuously as the treatment thereof proceedsand are discharged through the outlet 65 in the disdischarge valve 65.The valve 66 is provided with pockets and maintains a mechanical sealagainst the admission of cold air, as the material is discharged. Valve66 is driven by any suitable means to operate at its proper relativespeed in discharging the materials from the dryer.

Operation.

In operation the materials to be treated are fed continuously and at apredetermined and measured rate into the cylinder 5 by means of thevalve 2. The beaters or hammers 18 are of suitable size and weight forthe particular material being handled and are preferably provided with aslightly inclined striking face to feed the materials forward as thehammers are rotated. The hammers or beaters are rotated at speeds-offrom severalhundred revolutions a minute and upward in accordance withthe particular material being treated and the hamco the cylinder it outradially about their in- As the material drops into is dashed by thehammers heated walls of the cylinder 5.

mers will fly dividual pivots.

against the W'iping or lifting members 12 are rotated, usually range atrelatively low speeds which i from 10 to 20 or more revolutions aminute.

" 'G'5"'The"relative speeds of the wipers or lifters the walls of thecylinder,

must be such that the material is lifted and the path of the beaters orhammers to be struck, dashed, and spread against the heated cylinder 5in a thin rapidly changing layer with the material being advancedcontinuously through the cylinder from the feed to the discharge end.The rate of feeding material through the valves 2 and66 is timed so thatthe proper amount of material is in the cylinder 5 to maintain thepropercontinuous operation of the unit. The heating action of the cylinderdries off the moisture, and the striking and beating thoroughly mixesdivides it, preventing the formation of balls or lumps and as itadvances through the cylinder it becomes progressively drier. Thematerial is dashed from the beaters against wiped or scraped from thecylinder walls, lifted through the cylinder and dropped back to thehammers, and mixed in rapid succession, and the repeated heating,beating, impacting and "mixing actions continue as the material advancesthrough the cylinder, until it is discharged from the valve 66 dried tothe desired degree. As the materials pass through the unit, the moistureis freed, therefrom and vaporized by the action of heat. The evolvedvapors are continuously withdrawn by the action of the blower exhaustfan 37 from opening 39, through channel 43 in the path indicated by thebroken arrow line marked vapor, and are burned in the combustionchamber. The gases from the combustion chamber pass through the heatingjacket and finally pass out of the stack. dry air from channel 50 aredriven through openings 54 and pass through the material in the pathindicated by the arrow line marked preheated air and the material isintimately contacted with air currents as it falls through thecylinder.This heated air acts as a vehicle for the rapid and effective removal ofthe moisture and volatile constituents of the material being treated andpass out of opening 39 with the vapors, and a very rapid drying actionis attained. When treating materials such as coal or inflammable mattersubject to spontaneous combustion the air circulation may be cut off byclosing off the communication of channel 50. The drying "andpulve'rizing may be carried out at relatively low temperatures due tothe efficient vaporin'g action without danger from explosion.

Having described a preferred embodiment of my invention, what isdesiredto be secured by Letters Patent and claimed as new is:

1. A continuous process f dehydrating liquids which comprisescontinuously feeding the liquids to be treated into an enclosed thematerial and \mechanically Large volumes of heated from said cylindricalspace,

walls into said space; repeating the'impacting and removing steps inrapid succession; advancing the liquids continuously through said spacein a manner to maintain a relatively thin, rapidly changing layer ofliquid on said wall; and continuously discharging the dehydrated liquidfrom said space.

2. The process as set forth in claim 1 to gether with the step ofpassing currents of gases throughsaid space tobe mixed and contactedwith the liquid under treatment. 1

3. A continuous process of treating fluid substances which comprisescontinuously feeding the substance to be treated into an enclosed spacewith heated walls; impacting and throwing the substance againstsaidwalls; quickly removing the substance from said walls into saidspace; repeating the immoving the same from. the

- through walls; splashing the blood against the walls of said enclosedspace; quickly removing the pacting and removing steps in rapidsuccession;v advancing the substance continuously through said space ina manner to maintain a relatively thin, rapidly changing layer of thesubstance on said walls; and continuously discharging the treatedsubstance from said space. p

4. A continuous process of dehydrating substances which comprises thesteps of continuously feeding the substances to be treated into anenclosed space having heated walls;

advancing the substances through said space while impacting the sameagainst, and rewalls of said space; continuously repeating theadvancing, impacting, and removing steps in rapid succession; andcontinuously discharging the substances from said space; said feeding,advancing and discharging steps being carried forward in definitelytimed relation and in a manner to maintain a comparatively thin I layerof rapidly changing, continuously adjvancing substances in contact withsaid walls of said space; g

5. A process of drying blood which comprises continuously advancing theblood an enclosed space with heated blood from said walls into saidenclosed space; and repeating the smashing and removing steps in rapidsuccession as the blood advances through said enclosed space.

6. A process of drying blood which comprises the steps of feeding thesame into the path of high speed heaters, splashing the sameagainst theinterior surface of a heated 7 cylinder; removing the same from saidsurface at relatively lower speed the removed blood back into the pathof the beaters to be mixed and againsplashed back against the heatedsurface;

and dropping impacting and throwing splashing, the substance against theinterior wall of succession said space, quickly removingthe substanceblood alon repeating the Y n testimony whereof, I afiix m STANLEY mixingand removing steps in rapid and continuously advancing the g throughsaid cylinder as the beating, mixing and removi proceeds.

signature.

ILIJER.

